Puzzle or game apparatus.



A. E. DEBBYSHIRB. PUZZLE 03 GAME APPARATUS. APYLIOATIOH FILED EOV. S0, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

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Application ales remember so, 1912. Serial in). 734,349.

To 025 294073; may concern ll-e it known that l -1hLFREl) E.;Dr,1un'- smne, a'citize'nof'the United States", residing at Lansing, in the county of Leavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful improvements in Puzzles or Game Appsrhtus, of -which the following is specification. I r

This invention relates to a 'puzzleor game apparatus, designed particularly for solving a puzzle or playing a game which I haye termed Twenty-one (the object of the invention being to provide a game board having starting and designation spaces, with circuitous channels arranged between the same, together with a series of balls or movable objects appropriately marked with letters or characters to spell the designation numlier or name of the game when arranged i in proper order in the designation space, the

purpose osing to cause the balls or movable objects to travel through the channels by gravity from the starting space to the designation space and to be arranged in proper order in the designation space to spell the name of the game.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is a perspective view of a puzzle or game apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a game board, of oblong rectangular form, and having a surrounding flange or wall 2 inclosing a playing field or space 3. Adjacent one end of its playing field is a starting space or chamber 4 and adjacent the opposite end of said playing field is a destination space or channel 5, closed at one end and open at its opposite end, as-shown at 6. Balls or movable objects 7, or" which nine are preferably used, are provided to travel by gravity, through tilting manipulation of the board, between the starting and destination spaces. These are appropriately lettered, as shown, to spell the words Twenty one, constituting the name-designation of the game, when arranged in proper order in the space 5.

"in playing the game or attempting to solve the puzzle, the halls are first arran ed in disorder within the triangular starting space i. and when, through proper manipucuitous channel, respectively. 9 are arranged to provide two pairs or sets lat-ion, the balls are caused to travel by gravity through the circuitous channel and are brought into proper position within the space 5 111 regular order to spell the name designation of the game, the puzzle is solved or the game successfully played.

The board is provided with upstanding partitions 8 and 9 which form the destinat-ion space 5 and the starting space e and cir- The partitions of diagonal channels 10 and 11 and 12 and 13 respectively, the channels of each pair being arranged in crossing or substantially X-shaped relation, as shown, the partitions of the channels 12 and 13 adjacent the lower or inner end of the board forming the starting space or chamber This arrangement of the channels provides intervening spaces 14: in the playing field between the arms of the adjacentchannels and between the dostination space -8 and the adjoining arms of the channels 10 and 11.

The channel 12 has an inlet 15 at one end communicating with the starting space at, and at its opposite end has an opening 13 which communicates with the playing field, while the channel 13 is closed at its inner end against communication with the start ing space and is provided with an opening 17 communicating with that portion of the playing field between it and the adjacent arm of the channel 12. The forward end oi the channel 13 isprovided with an opening 17 communicating with the portion of the playing field between it and the adjacent portion of the channel 12, while the storward end of the channel 10 and rear end of the channel 11 are provided with openings 18 and 19 communicating with that portion of the playing field therebetween, and the forward end of the channel 18 has an opening or final outlet 20 which communicates with the portions of the playing field between it and the inner arms of the channel 10 and between the channels 10 and 11 and the portion of the field in which the destination space or channel 5 is located. The arrows shown in Fig. 2 indicate the prescribed course of travel of the balls through the circuitous or maze-like channel in order to reach the destination space 5, which course must he followed under the playing rules of the game. From this it will be apparent that skill and care will he required in ord r to cause the balls to travel in regular order lif in A 335.1

thestarting space throu ghlthe channels in the prescribed manner to, the destination space. 5 so that they will be properly disposed in said'destination space to spell the name-designation of the game.

While the balls or movable objects are preferably designated in the manner indisated, it will of course',' be understood that they may hear other letters, characters, words or symbols, designed When-arranged in proper order to spell a certain name or to indicate a determined relationship which musthave with respect to each other when brought to the destination point to indicate that the game has been successfully played; or the puzzle solved.

A puzzle or game apparatus comprising a board having an inclosed oblong rectangular spaces a circuitous course playing field, provided at one end with a starting space and at its other end with designation space, and having between formed by pairs of communicating X-shaped channels, said channels having openings communicating at points with the playing field, and a series of balls or movable objects adapted to traverse said channel between the starting and destination spaces and bearing suitable indicia thereon requiring the balls to be arranged in a prescribed order in said destination space.

In testimony Whereofl afiix mysignature in presence of two Witnesses.-

. ALFRED E. DERBYSHIRE.

Witnesses:

-JAMESB. Kramer,

FRANK E. CARROLL.

fiepies Commissioner of Eaten'ts,

Washington, D. G. 

